Magic: The Gathering Prereleases

April 26-27, 2014

Play with the cards before you can buy them!

Take home an exclusive promo card!

Get involved in worldwide, sanctioned events!

Meet new players!

Play all day, or just for a few hours!

Held six days before each new Magic card set goes on sale, Prereleases provide an excellent way to experience the grandeur of a worldwide event in a low-stress environment. At Prerelease events, you will be able to play with cards from the new set before you can buy them, receive special promotional cards for attending, and have the opportunity to win even more cards by playing. So have fun!

Prereleases are Limited events, meaning you build your 40-card (minimum) deck from the packs that you get after paying your entry fee (Sealed Deck format). Attendees have the option to participate in a Sealed Deck tournament, or the more informal Open Dueling format, both of which provide great opportunities to see and play with the new cards.

“I can never wait to rip open my first packs of the newest set at a Prerelease. It's Opening Day for Magic! What could be more fun than that?”

-- Mike Turian, Pro Tour Hall of Fame/Magic Online Product Manager

Prereleases are sanctioned by the DCI, which is the governing body for all Magic tournaments—from local neighborhood tournaments up to the prestigious Pro Tour events. By becoming a DCI member and playing in a sanctioned event, your results are recorded and you begin building an official rating among the thousands of Magic players worldwide. If you don't have a DCI membership, the on site event staff will be happy to set you up. For many players, prereleases are a fun and easy way to play in their first sanctioned event.

What is the DCI?

The DCI is the worldwide organization that handles tournaments and organized play for Wizards of the Coast and Avalon Hill games. If you are not already a DCI member, you can find more information about becoming one, as well as the various DCI programs here.

Getting a DCI membership is free and easy. You can participate in any DCI Sanctioned event and get a DCI number there. You can find the list of upcoming events in our tournament locator.